Pushups, You Should do Them

 Let’s take a closer look at a variety of pushups. This is not an exhaustive list or dissection of all pushup varieties, but should give you a deeper understanding of what you are doing and how. Kee in mind from the pushup position that you are directly moving from 69% to 75% of your total body weight. Variations in pushup type does not change that. For instance, a one arm pushup is still exerting 69% to 75% of your body weight on one arm. The only pushup that is going to involve the mass of your body is a handstand pushup. This one is not covered in this piece.

Pushup

Why do pushups to begin with? This is an excellent compound movement that builds strength, stamina, build functional strength, as well as improves your posture. There are a myriad of pushup variations. In this piece we are looking at five of them in order of increasing difficulty and complexity. Whatever level you are at there are several benefits to making pushups part of your routine. 

Upper body strength: engages muscles throughout your upper body; pectorals, triceps, deltoids, abs, quads

Core stability: by being a dynamic plank you are engaging your abdominal core to stabilize your body

Cardiovascular health: with this much of your body engaged in the exercise your heart and lungs will also kick in

Elevated

Elevated pushups are generally for beginners or older trainees trying to rebuild their old strength and stamina. This is the easiest and base position to begin with. You place your hands on a step, box, counter, or some other elevated object. This effectively lowers the amount of weight you are engaging. You can substitute doing the pushups from your knees for the same effect. This will involve about 40% of your body weight.

Standard 

Begins in a high plank position with your hands at or just wider than shoulder’s width. When you bend your arms your elbows should stay close to your sides. Allowing your arms to be more than 45 degrees to the centerline of your body puts your shoulders at risk. Lower your body to the point at which your pecs just tickle the floor. Then, press through your palms to extend your arms to the locked out position.

Archer Pushup

Start with your hands placed wider than shoulders width. Lower your body to gently touch the floor. This time, you will bend one arm which will take the bulk of your weight while the other arm, which is straight out to the side, will support minimal weight. The working arm will move 40% to 70% more load than the extended arm.

One Arm Pushup

In this you will spread your feet wide to create a support base for the pushup. This is a stable three points of contact with the ground. Your non working arm can be placed behind your back or lightly touch the ground until you feel secure in doing this. You may twist your torso some so that more of your weight is directly over your working arm. Lower your body by bending the elbow as you normally would until your chest is near the ground. 

These and other pushup variations are excellent strength builders. 

As always, talk to your doctor before starting any fitness program. Keep training.

Rucking for Fitness

 Rucking. A now cool term for backpacking. The premise is to improve your walking and exercise by adding weight. I enjoy rucking. I get out and do two, three, up to four hours of trails and paths with weight. I carry 55 pounds. 

This is training for functional fitness. It makes walking without weight easier and smoother. In the military there is all sorts of tucking. Civilians have caught on. 

According to a 1996 report done by the Cooper institute in Dallas, TX that was also supported by the Surgeon General, exercising helps lower your risks of several diseases. Many of which are cardiovascular. This report advises 30 minutes, at least, of moderate exercise seven days a week. Yes, every day. Try to see it as moving more every day that you are in your body.

Walking, a moderate exercise, strengthens your bones, keeps your joints healthy, reduces your risk of heart disease, and it lifts your mood. When exercising, our bodies release endorphins into our brains. Endorphins are the feel-good hormones.

Add a backpack and weights or a weighted vest and you increase the rate at which you benefit. It is a higher intensity than just walking. Some of us have served and somewhat we feel should your share of rucking. That said, it increases the metabolic cost of walking. This burns a higher amount of calories. It places stress on the core, back, and shoulders as well as the legs. This becomes a hybrid cardio/strength session.

Adding 20 to 30 pounds will increase the caloric burn 2 to 3 times. Even if your knees are not great you can still ruck. Just talk to your doctor first. With a small amount of weight you can easily burn as many calories as jogging without the wear and tear on your knees. 

Exercise in general and rucking in particular build mental discipline and toughness. It shows you that you can carry weight and move over terrain at pace. 

Another important benefit of rucking is how it improves bone density. Bone density typically decreases as we age unless we take active measures to strengthen our bones. With rucking you are outside getting vitamin D from the sunlight. A solid diet is getting you adequate calcium. These together with the natural applied stress on your bones results in stronger bones. Thus making late life injuries less likely. 

You walk or jog during the week. Awesome. Add a day or set two days aside for rucking and you have made yourself a calorie burning machine. All that and you have not even changed your schedule. Well, maybe you changed a bit of your schedule. 

Which Muscle Fiber for Size

 There are two types of muscle fibers trainees are concerned with, Type I and Type II. Well, it breaks down a bit more than that. There are Type IIa and Type IIx. Let’s take a look at these muscle fibers and their importance for a healthier life.

Fiber Types

Type I fibers are aerobic and used in endurance training. You will see endurance athletes exemplify the use of this tissue type. Type II fibers are specialized for rapid, high intensity, explosive actions. The Type II group is what translates to size increases as the fiber bundles are thicker. 

If you were to physically remove the muscle fibers from each other you would see that the Type II is lighter in color than the deep red of the Type I. This is due to the absence of myoglobin and mitochondria. 

As you have noticed the Tupe II fibers are further divided into IIa and IIb/IIx fibers. Type IIa are a mix of Type I and Type II fibers. As such they do not fatigue as fast as the Type IIb/IIx. This gives a balance of endurance and power. Type IIb/x fibers are more inclined for powerful and explosive movements. To further illustrate the differences you have considered the endurance athlete. Now, consider a powerlifter versus an Olympic lifter. Both athletes rely on Type II muscle fibers for their sport; however, the Olympic lifter uses more Type IIb/x fibers for the explosive lifts. You see, a deadlift is simply powering the weight off the floor to the standing full extension. A power clean or snatch is moving the weight as fast as possible to the final overhead position. 

As Type II fibers are more anaerobic they are fueled more by glycogen than by oxygen. Glycogen is stored in the blood, to a small degree, and in the liver. These stores are depleted quickly in about 20 to 25 minutes.

Training

Type II are the fast twitch fibers. Training this type of fiber requires explosive movements. For instance on benchpress lower the weight with a slow controlled pace. When the bar touches your chest press as hard as you can. The idea is to pus the weight up quickly to activate the target fibers. 

Squatting looks similar. You maintain a slow, controlled decent then stand to full height quickly. There are some athletes who train with weighted jump squats. Adding unweighted jump squats after your sets are done is also an effective way to activate these fibers. 

The rest period between sets is recommended to be longer than normal. Three to five minutes is widely accepted as the rest period. 

Pause reps are also an effective means of targeting these fibers. For pause reps, if you have not done them yet, you pause at the muscle group’s full extension for two seconds or more. Then, contract. For example, you squat down to the deepest you can go and stay there for two to five seconds before standing upright. Bench is similar. You lower the weight until it’s just lightly touching your torso, hold it there for a few seconds, then press. 

Bent row and pulling exercises this looks a little different. In bent row you pause at the top of the rep, extend the period under contraction. 

Talk to your doctor before trying something new and stressful to your body. Make sure that you are healthy enough to do it. 

Train hard. Train safe.

Legs, Foundational Strength

 Legs are the foundation of our body. Strong or weak, the legs determine the rest of our body. Aesthetically, nobody wants a huge upper body and chicken legs. These are the foundation of physical longevity, functional mobility, and total-body strength, driving stability, power, and metabolic health. 

Many people in physical therapy have to work their legs to rebuild stability. This stability is essential for mobility as well as overall health. Fall prevention and even getting out of chairs makes life more enjoyable. Nobody really wants to be helped out of a chair.

Strong legs, being the largest muscle group in the body, boost metabolism. 

Exercises

I am suggesting a five exercise split that will, in my experience, hit your leg muscles with near complete efficiency. It is quad heavy, but will include all the muscles of your lower body. One or more of these you may have avoided in the past, but now it is time to grit your teeth and grow your legs. 

Bulgarian Split Squats

Lunge

Wall Sits 

Single Leg Calf Raise

Squats

You will likely notice that this design does exhaust the legs prior to what is considered the big lift, squats. Make no mistake about it, done right (proper form and depth) Bulgarian Split Squats and lunges will exhaust your legs. This will force you to use a lighter weight in squat than you may normally do. Think of this as a benefit. It takes some of the pressure off of your back in deep squats. For lifters like me, tall and with long limbs, this is a benefit as hitting deep squats forces the upper body forward. This lean can stress the lower and mid back.

The Bulgarian split squats place between 80% to 95% of your body weight on your front leg. When doing these you can add weight with dumbbells, a weighted vest, or a barbell. Whatever you choose be safe in your application of the weight. The form is quite simple. your rear foot on an elevated surface and your front foot far enough forward so your shin remains nearly vertical at the bottom of the movement. Keep your torso upright for quads, or lean forward slightly for glutes, ensuring 90% of your weight stays on the front leg. Also, the higher you place your rear foot the deeper you can go in this. A three foot tall box for me allows me to go deep enough that my glutes are a few inches from my heel.

For lunges I do rear lunges. You can choose front or side lunges to suit your tastes. By that I mean lean into what is the hardest for you. Keep your body upright, keeping your front knee aligned over your ankle, and bending both knees to approximately 90 degrees as you lower your body. Some say to not go so deep that your knee passes over your toes. I have never found that to be a problem, knee going past toes that is. It does not hurt me. We are all built different, so listen to your body.

Wall sits are fairly easy as far as the form goes. Thighs are to be at a 90 degree angle to your torso and to your lower legs. Get into position and hold for as long as you can or for a set number of seconds for each set. 

The single leg calf raise is self explanatory.

Squats are far more technical with weights. That said, you want your hip feet about shoulders width and your feet angled out at the toes slightly. When you sit back and down lower yourself to the minimum depth of having your hip joint on a line with your knees. That line should be parallel to the floor. If you can manage deeper then go deeper. I squat nearly to my ankles. Do what works for you.

Whether you apply these with weights or your body weight as in calisthenics, you will find your legs getting stronger and larger over the next few weeks.

There is currently a big push for military styled calisthenics. This is an excellent taste of what you can do without weights. I have also done these techniques with weights, but starting with squats. I find this leg routine works best when done in the order presented above. 

If any of these exercises cause pain, not soreness but pain, stop immediately and ask your doctor about it.

Train hard. See you next week.

Shoulder Work Ahead

 We just reviewed some information and exercises that together can make the appearance of a tighter waste. Cardio and muscle building are two parts of the equation. In that abdominal review I also mentioned tha broader shoulders will make the waist appear more slim. 

Today, I want to go over the shoulder anatomy and how to hit all parts of the shoulder for size and functional strength.

Anatomy

The shoulder is made up of three strips of muscle and their connecting tissue. The structure allows for rotation of the arm through a wide variety of angles. This is the most mobile joint we have in our body. 

The three parts of the shoulder muscles are anterior deltoid, lateral deltoid, and posterior deltoid. These three muscles hold the joint together majestically. 

The frontal or anterior deltoid gets lots of work and stimulation through pushing exercises such as bench press and pushups. Too easy, right?

The posterior deltoid or rear deltoid is used in pulling. Rowing of any sort engages this muscle. 

It is the central or lateral deltoid that seems to get ignored in calisthenics and some gym routines. It is important to focus on building this muscle as well for the overall stability of th shoulder joint. Aesthetically, it broadens the shoulders appearance. As stated already, broader shoulders make the waist appear smaller and support the image of overall strength and power. 

Exercising

With weights there are numerous ways to target this muscle. In calisthenics we are somewhat limited as to how to work these lateral deltoids. 

Jumping Jacks are a wonderful way to start moving the shoulders. This will include the trapezius muscles as well. Bonus, right? 

Quite simply, pike pushups and handstands are how to target this lateral head more directly. If you cannot do a pike pushup, which we will detail below, use stair steps to elevate your shoulders enough to complete the required number of repetitions. 

Pike Pushup

1. Get into a plank or pushup position
2. Walk your feet in until your body bends at the hips to more than 90 degrees 
3. Bend your arms lowering your forehead to the floor
4. Press and lift your forehead away from the floor until your arms lock straight

Simple concept. It may not be so simple to do these after having done several regular pushups. If that is the case use stair steps to elevate your shoulders to a point at which you can perform your required repetitions. 

Handstands

In the handstand position, with or without your feet against the wall, puts 100% of your body on your hands and shoulders. This will engage all of your deltoids as well as your trapezius to support your weight. 

If you cannot hold your weight in this position for long there is a progression technique to use that will train you for doing a full handstand. Pike stands. 

For the pike stand you bend at the hips to 90 degrees. You place your feet in a step or a chair so that some of your body weight is supported for you. The deeper into said support you go, the less weight is on your shoulders. For instance, you use a chair to provide the support. Instead of putting your feet in the chair you put your knees. This puts more weight on the chair and allows even the novice or beginner to start making reps in the pike position. 

When you have built up adequate strength you can place your feet against the wall in a pile to continue training up to the handstand pushup. 

Bonus, while in a handstand position do some shrugs. Target those trapezius muscles. These will thicken the back of your neck and provide impressive support for your widening shoulders. 

Train regularly. Train hard. As always, talk to your doctor before beginning a new program. 

Exercises for Mobility in Aging

 The rate at which we age is predetermined. The rates at which we lose strength and flexibility are known ranges. This also follows for physical power. Functional fitness is that which enables us to continue our activities of daily living with little to no impact. We gain this through strength training, flexibility training, and balance work. Functional exercises should strengthen the muscles we use for daily activities. These should prolong our ability and capacity to move.

Functional exercises include:

•   Walking
•   Squats
•   Lunges
•   Push Ups
•   Pull Ups
•   Deadlift
•   Farmers Carry

These exercises require little to no equipment, with the exception of deadlift and farmers carry. 

That is to say that as we age exercising becomes far more important. This is not so much about looking good on the beach as it is being able to move through daily life. This is our personal independence I am talking about. It also impacts our mental state through endorphins. 

Doing exercises daily is also known as greasing the groove. In this none of the movements you practice should be done to failure. 

This technique allows for a more efficient mind-muscle connection. This connection leads to quicker gains than training to failure a few times per week. What this looks like is 50% to 70% of maximum capacity. Where one might be able to do 20 squats before failure, in greasing the groove (GTG) you would do 10 to 14 squats daily. 

As these sets are sub-maximal your mind-muscle connections builds faster. This leads to greater efficiency with each rep. Each rep is therefore cleaner and more effective. 

As for the exercises chosen the list includes those that support symmetry in muscular development and those that mimic daily life activities. 

Walking is an easy way to burn calories and build bone density. It is low impact and there is no specialized equipment needed. You can literally walk any time anywhere you want. 

Squatting deep makes getting into and out of chairs and several couches far easier. It mimics many movements necessary from just going about your business to getting yourself up off the floor.

Lunges are an excellent exercise to do after squats. These partially isolate your legs as well as work the muscles in different ranges than squats do. Excellent for strength, flexibility, and range of motion.

Pushups maintain your chest, triceps, and frontal part of your shoulders. This exercise is easily using ⅓ of the muscles in your body.

Pull-ups or chinups are an outstanding compliment to pushups. Our bodies thrive in symmetry. Once you’ve done the pushups grab an overhead bar and do some reps. This is using all the muscles in your back with the exception of your spinal erectors.

Squats, pushups, and chinups will engage most every muscle in your body thus providing an excellent metabolic boost. Proficiency in these exercises will make most of your daily activities feel easy.

Deadlift and Farmers Carry require extra equipment. These are important exercises still. They push the boundaries on what we can lift, hold, and carry. All very important as we age and, hopefully, have grandkids. Being able to pick up your grandchild is eminently important as is being able to play on the floor with your grandchild. 

Aging is a privilege denied to some. Do not waste your time sitting about and requiring assistance. Talk to your doctor about these and other recommended exercises for your mobility.

Aging and Exercise

 As we grow older, maintaining our health and vitality becomes increasingly important, and exercise plays a pivotal role in this pursuit. Aging naturally brings changes to our bodies, including decreased muscle mass, reduced bone density, and slower metabolism. Engaging in regular physical activity helps counteract these effects, promoting not only physical strength but also mental well-being.

Exercise supports cardiovascular health, improves balance and flexibility, and enhances mobility, all of which contribute to a higher quality of life and greater independence. Beyond the physical benefits, staying active can reduce the risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and osteoporosis. It also stimulates cognitive function, potentially delaying the onset of age-related mental decline.

In essence, exercise is not just about adding years to life but adding life to years. It empowers older adults to stay active, engaged, and healthy, making the aging process more graceful and fulfilling. Recognizing the value of movement at every stage encourages us to embrace exercise as a lifelong habit that enriches both body and mind.

Sarcopenia, or age-related muscle loss, typically begins around 30 years of age. It is a progressive loss of muscle mass and strength as well as function. 10% to 20% of older adults experience decreased mobility, higher risk of falls, and bone fragility. Hormonal changes and inactivity are the key factors. It is a progressive decline in which we lose 3% to 5% of our muscle mass per decade. A sedentary lifestyle is the simplest factor we can change. 

I cannot say that one exercise type is best, as combinations of training techniques show the best results. That is to say, a mix of aerobic, strength, and balance training will serve the older athlete well. How you mix these techniques is up to you and your doctor. The total time per week that you want to fill is 150 minutes. 

The best exercise for aging is a combination of aerobic, strength, and balance activities. Key exercises include walking, swimming, cycling, yoga, tai chi, and lifting weights. These activities maintain mobility, prevent falls, and improve cardiovascular health. Strength training also maintains bone density. Together, these activities prevent falls and related injuries.

Training frequency can be as simple as making these daily activities. One can also break the training out over alternating days. How you choose to fit this in is up to you. I find alternating days works best for me with strength training while walking daily, sometimes multiple walks per day.

Strength training can be as simple as push-ups, pull-ups, and squats. The only equipment needed is a pull-up bar. Too easy. 

Lifting weights is also excellent in regard to fighting muscle loss. Key exercises would include some rowing or pull-down exercise for your back, shoulders, and biceps. A pushing exercise for chest, shoulders, and arms. Also, include squats or deadlifts for legs. Done properly and with correct form, these three exercises will work your three major muscle groups and a number of supporting muscles. All you would need after that is something for your core, your abdominals. 

Muscles stiffen with age as well. This makes daily activities difficult. Putting on socks and tying shoes should not leave one breathless. Stretching regularly is imperative. You do not have to break a sweat stretching, nor does it have to hurt. Gentle stretching will improve mobility and flexibility when done daily. 

Check with your physician to be certain your health can handle what you are thinking about doing. Stay strong.